MOSCOW, Dec. 10 - The International Monetary Fund believes that an additional $15 billion should be allocated to Ukraine within weeks to help the country avoid financial collapse, Britain's Financial Times newspaper reported.

The additional cash needed would come on top of the $17 billion IMF rescue announced in April and due to last until 2016.

According to the newspaper's sources, the fiscal gap has opened up because of a 7% contraction in Ukraine's gross domestic product and a collapse in exports to Russia, the country's biggest trading partner, leading to massive capital outflows and a rundown in central bank reserves.